Page 29 - WDT Winter 2018 japan

We finally figured out where the cigarette butts went as we with taxi drivers, doormen, little old ladies, and policemen to
walked down a busy Tokyo street. Smoking is not allowed on name a few.
the streets or other public spaces in cities like Tokyo. Instead, The Japanese refrain from touching or standing too close
smokers congregate in glass- to strangers, although that’s difficult
enclosed smoking booths tucked to maintain on crowded buses and
here and there around the city. trains. Handshaking is not a custom
They are quite a sight to see - a here. If a Japanese acquaintance
dozen or so folks in black suits and wants to shake hands, he or she will
ties crammed into a giant aquarium make the first move, offering a hand
barely visible through the nicotine to you. That only happened to us a
haze. few times after we had bonded with
The Japanese affair with public some genial natives. Instead, the Japa-
health extends beyond clean nese bow a lot --a highly regarded
streets and air. No matter where greeting that shows respect. After a
you visit, you’ll see Japanese of all few days, we found ourselves bowing
ages wearing white surgical masks so they won’t pass along in return.
their cold or flu germs or get the ones you have. (The excep- Many Westerners, including ourselves, erroneously be-
tion may be some hip teenagers who wear them because lieve that the Japanese communal baths called onsens are
they look cool.) White gloves seemed to be a big deal as well for keeping clean -- and perhaps originally they were. Onsens

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